DevTools
Also called: Developer tools, Browser dev tools, Inspector
Developer tools built into browsers for inspecting pages, network traffic and errors.
Definition
Browser developer tools (in Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge) let you inspect HTML and CSS, see console errors, watch network requests, simulate devices and throttle the connection. They are very useful for testers to gather evidence for bug reports.
In practice
The "Submit" button does nothing. In DevTools you open the Console and see a red JavaScript error, and in Network you see the request returned a 500 error. Both go in the bug report.
Learn it in context
Lessons that use this term.
Related terms
- APIThe way different software parts talk to each other, like an app asking a server for data.
- Cross-browser testingChecking a website works and looks right in different browsers and browser versions.
- Grey-box testingTesting from the outside with some knowledge of the inside, like the database or API.
- Responsive designA website layout that adapts to different screen sizes, from phones to large monitors.